Who Died Tonight on 'Fire Country'? Max Thieriot Talks Game-Changing Episode

Max Thieriot as Bode on 'Fire Country'

Fire Country returned tonight after a two-week break with the resolution to a cliffhanger ending that saw Bode (Max Thieriot), Cara (Sabina Gadecki), and Diego in an ambulance wreck. As it turns out, not everyone survived.

Parade breaks down Season 2, Episode 5 (arguably the saddest hour of the series so far) with help from Thieriot, the show star and co-creator.

Who died tonight on Fire Country?

"This Storm Will Pass" features the tragic death of Cara (Sabina Gadecki), who in her dying moments made Bode Leone (Max Thieriot) promise to take care of Genevieve (Alix West Lefler), her 12-year-old daughter who is probably Bode’s kid, too.

Thieriot tells Parade that Cara’s death was one of the hardest things he’s ever had to film for Fire Country, and it will have a massive ripple effect throughout the rest of Season 2. “This will change everybody’s lives going forward,” he says.

How does Cara die on Fire Country?

Bode, Cara and Diego (Rafael de la Fuente) were involved in an ambulance crash that left them stranded in the middle of nowhere with no comms and limited medical supplies during a “fire tornado.” During the crash, Cara was impaled through the abdomen on a piece of metal, and even worse, she suffered an epidural hematoma. Bode and Diego did their best to try and save her, but her head injury was too severe.

As she prepared to die, she told Bode that she was wrong to tell him she didn’t want him involved in Genevieve’s life. He’s a good man, and Genevieve will need him. So he has to do his time and get free so he can be there for her. As she slipped into unconsciousness, her boyfriend Jake (Jordan Calloway), who had been preparing to propose to her but was waiting for the right moment, said goodbye over the radio.

The episode ends with Cara’s funeral, where Genevieve leans on Jake for support and looks to Bode with curiosity and the slightest bit of hope in her eyes.

Related: Is Bode Really Genevieve's Father on 'Fire Country'?

What's Max Thieriot's response to Cara's death?

Thieriot, who’s also a co-creator of Fire Country, says that this was one of the most emotionally challenging episodes of the show he’s filmed to date, both for the intensity of the material and because he was sad to say goodbye to his friend Gadecki. “It was difficult for me as an actor and difficult for me as Max,” he tells Parade. “I know what this allows these characters to sort of open up to and the journey that it will take everybody through afterwards. But selfishly, at the same time, as a friend, I really didn't want to see her go yet.” But he’s confident that Gadecki’s performance will lead to new opportunities for her.

“There's times when you're acting and all of a sudden the acting goes away and it's just like real, raw emotion. And this is one of those,” he says. “This felt like one of those scenes when you're in this sort of tennis match back and forth with your partner. When you're receiving that pure, raw, real emotion, you know that you're working with somebody who is really talented and is really capable of going to these deep places. And so yeah, I have no doubt that she's gonna be really busy after this.”

Related: Will Bode and Gabriela End Up Together on 'Fire Country'?

What does Cara's death mean for Bode?

For Bode, Cara’s death means the motivation he was already feeling to finish his sentence and become a father will go into overdrive. “I think [Cara’s] instilled confidence and trust in him is as big as anybody's could be,” Thieriot says. “And so I think it helps with his overall purpose and gives him that drive he’s really needed throughout the series.” Cara’s faith in him will help him have faith in himself.

Cara’s death will also change Bode and Jake’s relationship, since Jake, too, feels a responsibility for Genevieve. “I think it's going to be ultimately a really positive thing for [them],” Thieriot says. “That being said, it won't be an easy thing. They're going to have to find out how to work together in a way that they've never had to work together, and that's, you know, looking after another human. It’s ultimately something that will bring them closer than ever, but no doubt will have its ups and downs.”

Bode still doesn't know for certain if Genevieve is biologically his daughter, but Thieriot says that Cara’s death and Bode’s promise to her means that he’ll feel responsibility for Genevieve no matter what now. "Before, maybe he would have been like, 'OK, well, I guess I'm not, so what now?' But now he knows that he has this responsibility," he says. "He gave her his word.”

Related: Is 'Fire Country' Based on a True Story? 

The episode also marks a turning point in Bode’s relationship with Diego, Gabriela’s (Stephanie Arcila) fiancé. They’re both in love with the same woman, which naturally creates some tension, but they had never really talked to each other. And they come out of the episode respecting each other more. “I think Bode wants to hate him more than anything. But then he realizes, ‘Oh, this is actually a really good guy, and I get it,’” Thieriot says of how Bode sees Diego and Gabriela’s relationship now. “It was a fun relationship to explore a little bit and obviously, we're just sort of scratching the surface on the two of them.” Diego isn’t going anywhere, but neither are Bode’s feelings for Gabriela.

Next week is another big one for Fire Country, as the show introduces Sheriff Mickey Fox (Morena Baccarin), who might be the star of a new spinoff if her episode is well-received.

Fire Country airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. It’s available to stream on Paramount+.

Next, 'Fire Country' Renewed for Season 3 on CBS: What We Know So Far